I reformat the western digital hdd. Now I am trying to install Window XP. I can not install it. It is not like Maxtor where I use some dos files to take me to where I can reformat the hdd at the same time then allow me to restart with easy Window XP installation after that.

Basically, can some one give me instruction on how to install Window XP in a primary Western Digital HDD? (It is different from installing OS in Maxtor.)

I just inserted my Windows CD in to the optical drive and followed the directions. Really, thats all I had to do. My Windows is installed on a WD Raptor. Just make sure your BIOS is set to read the optical drive that you have windows in first.

At first I did that, but somehow the xp setup did not delete everything else in the harddrive. It refuse to delete the whole partition since there were some files in there that needed for Window setup. Therefore I go to the Western Digital site to download a dos program that will configure the HDD. So it is use in a bootup disk. And the program it opens allow me to fully reformat the HDD.

Now After that I encounter the problem in which even I just putting in the Window CD will not work. Because you will probably know that usually whenever you install a Window OS, you will first install some hidden files then you have to restart to begin the true installation.

This problem is getting annoying. It is a few days now. I can not figure out how to begin to install this. All I need is for the HDD to recognize the CD and take me to the installation.

In Maxtor, I am able to reformat and after reformat using the dos program MaxBlast, it will give me the option of telling me to choose what OS I will install. If I do not choose the right OS, I can not install the OS. I have to choose the same OS that I will install. That is how Maxtor works.

WD has a dos program like Maxblast too. However it does not give me the option to choose which OS to install. And after the end of the reformat, it gives no instruction to how to install OS.

The HDD doesn't have to recognise the CD at all, the bios is what reads you have a cd in the drive, and then bios automatically boots it up.

The Windows disc should be able to carry out all the installation unless of course its not a new windows. In which case, a bootdisc on a floppy is a better option to get it started. I hadn't heard of dos programs until now, but I wouldn't use it. It seems to be making it more complicated.

There should be no problems with that drive, and should be able to format, hidden files or not, and shouldn't need an external program.

Simply download the appropiate Windows one, get a floppy disc, format it by right clicking the A: icon adn going to format, and then dragging the contents of the files (after unzipping) to the A drive, and then restart and try it.

A THING TO TRY IF THIS DOESN'T WORK:

You could try and format another way though. Insert a hard drive in as master, and the other one (the one that won't work) as slave, and boot up (the master must have windows on of course)

When Windows boots, right click the my computer icon on the desktop, and go to Manage. Now select Disk Management from the list, and right click the drive you want to format and select format from the list. After this has done, shutdown and put the one that wont work (now formatted) to the master again.

Next place the cd in, and when it boots it should look through things and ask you about where you want to install the partition to install. Usually C:\ and you should be able to press enter and go straight through, selecting not to call it a special name.

Then it should go through and finish and you should have a working windows.

I hope that idea helps and it works. If not, read the below

NOTE:

If that idea doesn't work, its possible you could have a faulty hard drive, or even a faulty Windows Disc. If you think any of these are possible (could be), you could use the guarantees I hope to get replacements.
i hope you can.

You honestly should be able to just install it as a Master, put the Windows XP disc in, and boot up. It should then just automatically see it, and format the drive so its ready, and then install it. The only thing I could think you are doing is setting up the partitions wrong or something.

Other than that, I can only assume the drive isn't working correctly. Or you Windows Cd Rom even.